China's Foreign Minister Calls for Truce, End of Gaza Blockade

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on Israel and the Islamist terrorist group Hamas on Sunday to stop fighting and urged the Jewish state to lift its blockade of Gaza.

Wang made his comments at a press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukri, whose government is hosting a Palestinian delegation for ceasefire talks snubbed by Israel after Hamas broke a series of previous truces.

"Both sides, the Israeli and the Palestinian, should immediately and comprehensively cease fire, including air strikes, ground operations and rocket fire to save the people and peace in the region," said Wang, whose comments were translated into Arabic.

"All actions that involve excessive use of force and that lead to civilian casualties are unacceptable."

Wang also said that Israel must "lift its blockade" of the Gaza Strip.

A Palestinian delegation of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Palestinian Authority was in Cairo for talks, although Israel said it will not send anyone to the negotiations.

Cairo, the traditional broker in conflicts between Israel and Hamas, invited Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to thrash out a durable truce in Gaza based on an Egyptian ceasefire proposal, which Hamas has repeatedly rejected.